Cookies Everywhere!

In addition to occasionally getting treats from the Cookie Man on our walks, Radar also gets cookies when we go to the credit union. The lobby isn't open on Saturdays, so it's the drive through or nothing. When the weather is nice, I'll sometimes walk Radar downtown and go through the drive through window. My husband is slightly embarrassed by this, and refuses to come with. I'll admit though, I did this even before we got Radar.

However, if the weather is bad, sometimes I'll still take Radar in the car to run through the drive through so he can get a cookie. I wonder if that's why he's always sniffing at the door to the garage and wanting to go for rides?

Paper Thief

Radar has a bad habit of stealing little bits of paper. Not necessary the regular size, like a piece of printer paper (not that he hasn't tried, but it's more obvious, so he gets in trouble faster, so he's more inclined to leave bigger stuff alone), but he can often get way with old grocery lists and sticky note reminders. His fascination is not limited to white paper, either. He about goes apoplectic when we have to open something with cardboard packaging. I gave him a paper towel tube once, just to see what he would do. When I realized that he wasn't just shredding, he was actually eating the cardboard, I took it away. I suppose that was a bad idea anyway, since he'd just think he was allowed to eat cardboard.

Usually we notice pretty quick if he's got something he's not supposed to (like paper), because he acts guilty, like he's trying to hide something. Which he is. Fortunately, I've been able to retrieve lots of nasty bits of chewed up paper gunk from his mouth, since apparently it is really hard to swallow chewed up paper gunk. A key sign retrieval is necessary is when he makes those exaggerated facial expressions trying to get the gunk off his tongue and down his throat. Strangely, though, I recently found shredded paper on the floor, no dog in sight, with no obvious parts missing. Maybe he's getting better?

Cuddle Bug

Radar is always open to cuddles! We call him the Love Sponge, because he soaks up every ounce of lovin' he can get. As long as someone is willing to pet him, he is happy to stay in the same place, leaning into you. He's not allowed up on the furniture, but sitting cross-legged on the floor will almost guarantee a little ghost will sneak up and crawl into your lap. :)

Real Snow!

There have been a few snow flurries this October, but nothing much that's stuck around. We should have about a foot by tomorrow evening, so I guess it's more then a flurry tonight! Radar started out uncertainly for his evening walk. He did not seem to like the slush accumulating on the sidewalk or the white grass, and stuck pretty close to my side for about half a block. Then, he ate some snow (on purpose?). Yum, snow! Wow, this stuff is pretty great! He spent the rest of the walk happily frolicking through the snow, snuffling and tracking. I actually saw him track some footprints in the snow for about 10 feet before he smelled something else. Maybe this winter won't consist of dragging him to the corner and running home twice a day! However, I won't deny I'm not still considering buying him little booties. It's going to get a lot more bitter than an almost pleasant just below freezing snow walk.

Votes

One awesome thing about Radar is that he acts as an extra vote and he comes up with a lot of dinner/activity suggestions. It is now very common to hear around our house, "Radar agrees with me that we should watch MythBusters instead of Iron Chef," or "Radar thinks we should have pizza for dinner." While the latter suggestion is sort of ironic considering the fact Radar is not allowed to eat people food, I will swear that he sometimes watches TV with us. Anyway, the extra vote is always hanging out there waiting for one of us to realize Radar will support one of our positions, whoever gets to him first. Plus, it is nice to get home after an extra long day and hear, "Radar told me he missed you and he's glad you're home."

The "Oh, no!" Dance

Yesterday, I took a group of students to compete in a city several hours away, which meant I was up before 3:30 am and not in bed until 10 pm. The point of this information is to explain why I slept in this morning. I didn't even hear Radar whine at 5:30, though I did sort of register my husband coming back to bed a few minutes later. The three of us slept for a few more hours, until my husband got up a quarter after 8, and Radar and I got up a half hour later. We usually try to feed Radar at the same times everyday, 6 am and 6 pm, but that didn't happen this morning. He ate at almost 9, and didn't seem to mind. His walk was also delayed, as no one was dressed or inclined to get dressed soon, in part perhaps due to the overcast, rainy atmosphere outside.

However, around 9:30, Radar whimpered! It was his specially reserved, 5:30 am, "I have to go out!" keen. I've never heard him use that sound during the day. Not only that, I am not joking, he did a poo dance, reminiscent of a potty dance a small child might employ. He looked desperate and circled, keeping his body low to the ground. His hips looked funny. I don't think I've mentioned this, but we do not have a fenced backyard, so anytime Radar has to go out, he goes out on a leash. Needless to say, we both jumped into action. I grabbed his leash and jammed my feet into my snow boots, waiting conveniently by the door, and my husband brought me my parka, complete with poo bag in the pocket. We made it to the end of the driveway and a little ways down the sidewalk in front of the house before he found the grass patch he wanted. From there, I thought, why not continue the walk? Thankfully, I did not meet anyone, as I was still in my flannel jammies, and my long hair hadn't seen a comb yet. I don't count all the people driving by, probably on their way to church.

Morning Monster

I wanted Radar to get into a morning routine when we first got him, in anticipation for the end of summer when I began teaching again. So after a week of sleeping in till 7 or 8 am (okay, maybe 9 some mornings), I started getting him up between 5:30 and 6 am, unsure of how long morning walks would interfere with my pre-Radar mornings. At first, he got up with me, then went back to bed after a few minutes, looking at me like I was out of my mind, and didn't I realize the sun wasn't up yet? After a few weeks of this, however, and with the beginning of school, we settled into a pattern. We got up about a quarter to six, I ate breakfast, fed Radar, got dressed, and we went for a walk. (My husband and I began trading off morning walks once his schedule changed and he didn't have to be at work until 8, instead of 6:30 or 7.)

The problem? Radar used to get up when I got up. However, my alarm went off at 5:30 so I could hit snooze a few times. My alarm also woke up Radar, but he, like me, ignored it. After a few weeks, though, Radar decided he didn't need an alarm (which by that point I had set back, deciding 5:30 was unnecessary). He has a special high-pitched keen that he saves especially for 5:30 in the morning, the time he has decided he needs to go outside every morning, weekday or weekend. What have I created?

Toy Recognition

As long as it is in the same room, Radar knows the word "Rope" refers to his braided toy with fringe :) If you ask him cheerily, "Where's your rope??" he will look around and happily pounce on the rope and bring it to you, which he then may or may not drop in order to be thrown. If, however, the rope is not actually in the room, he will look around the room with confusion, not sure what you are talking about. If you then go into the room the rope IS in, he will follow and then fetch it without any trouble, trotting proudly back out to the living room with the rope hanging rakishly from his mouth.

Play Date :)

Radar has officially had two play dates now. We've met both times at the park near our house, and while Radar has barked the other dog(s) at first, both times have ended well. By the end of Sunday afternoon's walk around, he was too worn out to fuss much! We didn't let the dogs get together and wrestle or anything, but it was a good time walking around and laying near each other. My husband is mystified by my pleasure in setting up times for Radar to get together with other dogs, and, in fact, by the whole concept of play dates!

Deer, Oh, Dear!

Once fall really began, our morning walks became darker and darker. That means, as anyone who has ever lived in a remotely rural area knows, the deer started coming out of the hills and into town. Radar has always been very aware of the deer. They like to hang out at the entrance of the park we often go to. His body always tenses up and starts to move very cautiously. At first, his tail would droop as low as it could go and he would slink past them as quickly as possible. Now, however, he sometimes lurks low and barks or growls at the deer, who then go bounding off, of course. He thinks he's pretty tough stuff! Not only that, I'm pretty sure he thinks the deer leavings are special gifts from the candy fairy left especially for him on the driveway and in the grass. Gross!

Barking dogs!

One issue Radar is slow to resolve is barking at other dogs. Every time we meet a dog out on our walks, Radar barks like there's no tomorrow! For a dog that's only 30 lbs, he has a deep bark, too. It sounds like he's wants to eat the other dog, the way he goes, "rrrr . . . ruff, ruff, grrr!" I'm a little afraid he's getting the Mailman Syndrome, where he barks at the other dog and it walks by us, so he thinks he had something to do with that!

The Shadow

When we first got Radar, he felt the need to follow us everywhere. Anytime one of us left the room, he needed to go along to make sure nothing more exciting was going on somewhere else. He even pawed at the bathroom door! Fortunately, that only lasted a few days! Now, he is more content to continue his nap in the living room if someone needs to go into the kitchen. Not to say he never follows us or gets underfoot! He just doesn't paw at the bathroom door anymore :)

Slowly but surely

When we first got Radar, he was afraid of everything. I mean everything. We had an empty box in the living room, and he sniffed it like it might carry the plague. However, after almost three months, he has settled in and is becoming accustomed regular household objects, such as a running dryer or dishwasher. That is not to say that he has gotten over his fear of everything! It is still very important he tread cautiously around manhole covers and leaves blowing in the breeze.

Gettin' Cold

We've had Radar for almost 3 months now, and it's starting to get cold here in South Dakota. The average high for the middle of October is 63F, and two days ago, October 13, 2009, the high was around 32F. It's a good thing Radar is an indoor dog, because he is not really enjoying our twice-a-day walks, and I can't say I blame him!